Academic City cost in 2026
Dubai · prices checked
In short
The cheapest Academic City licence costs 15,000 AED a year. The renewal is 15,000 AED a year.
- The largest education hub in the region, 27,000 students and academics on one campus, with universities from Australia, the United Kingdom and India.
- Its freelance permit is published at 7,520 AED, and the regulator publishes the rest: company licence, annual renewal, registration and deregistration are all public on the Dubai Development Authority schedule.
- Admission is the real condition, the campus is built for education.
About Academic City
Academic City licence cost in 2026
| Package | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
Freelance permit, regulator tariff Cheapest
| 1 year licence | 7,500 AED |
GoFreelance
| 1 year licence | 7,520 AED |
Company licence, standard segment
| 1 year licence | 15,000 AED |
Academic City visa cost
| Costs and conditions | |
|---|---|
| Freelance employment visa, 1 year | 4,600 AED |
| Freelance employment visa, 2 years | 5,042 AED |
| Establishment card, required before any visa | 2,000 AED |
| Company employee visa cost | |
| Visas per licence type | |
| Quota | one employee per 80 square feet of leased space, the TECOM rule |
Academic City freelance visa cost
GoFreelance, education: 7,520 AED for the permit, one year; residence visa paid separately, 4,600 AED for 1 year or 5,042 AED for 2, after a 2,000 AED establishment card.
Academic City office and desk cost
| Commercial spaces, retail and land | Offered on the campus, ask the free zone* |
|---|---|
| D/Quarters coworking | Offered, ask the free zone* |
| in5 incubation centres | Offered to startups, ask the free zone* |
| Warehouses | not offered |
Academic City renewal and closing fee
First year, licence
15,000 AED
Renewal, per year
15,000 AED
Closing the company
1,500 AED
Details
Renewal, per year. 15,000 AED per year for a standard segment. The Dubai Development Authority decision that sets this fee states it as an annual fee, so the same amount falls due at each renewal. A one-off registration of 3,500 AED applies in year one only.
Closing the company. 1,500 AED to deregister a free zone limited liability company, reduced to 1,000 AED for companies incubated at in5. Published by the Dubai Development Authority, not by the zone.
Academic City other fees and penalties
Administrative fees
- Registration of a free zone limited company3,500 AED plus activity fees
- Establishment card2,000 AED
- Knowledge and innovation dirham20 AED per transaction
- Company name change2,000 AED
- Share transfer or capital change3,000 AED per operation
Important to know
Rules that apply
- Admission is the real condition: the campus is built for higher education institutions and for the activities that serve them. It is not a general purpose free zone.
- Licences and permits run one year and renew annually.
- One employee visa per 80 square feet of leased space, the rule common to every TECOM district.
- Audited financial statements must be filed within six months of the year end.
- Licence and visa services run through axs, the TECOM platform, not through a counter at the zone.
- Minimum paid-up capital is set by the registrar case by case, with no published figure.
Points to confirm before you sign
- The zone advertises the freelance package at 7,520 AED while the underlying regulator tariff is 7,500 AED plus 20 AED of statutory dirhams. The two figures describe the same permit.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a licence at Academic City cost?
What does Academic City cost in year two?
What does a residence visa cost at Academic City?
Where is Academic City and who runs it?
All prices and terms come from the free zones and may change at any time without prior notice. Free Zone Radar cannot be held responsible for any change, error or omission. Always confirm the final price and terms in writing before you sign or pay.
Get a quotation for Academic City
Your file for Academic City is registered
Keep your reference code.
Your message starts with your code, so we already have your file.
What happens next
- 1Our setup expert partner contacts you within one working day, to understand your project.
- 2He sends you a detailed quote with the official price of Academic City, fees included.
- 3You decide. If the quote suits you, he handles everything until your licence is issued.
- 4
No email? Check your spam folder.
Go further
Nearby free zones
Sources
diacedu.ae, home page, 27,000 students and academics · diacedu.ae/offerings/our-offerings · dda.gov.ae, licensing categories decision 1 of 2021, PDF · dda.gov.ae/en/registration-licensing/existing-businesses/license-cancellation · tecomgroup.ae, axs platform
